RIP Gross Anatomy?

[Sheherezade]

DH is on an anatomy committee here at the med school. It seems there will be no more dissection in the future - just computer modelling. I, for one, am shocked. He tells me that this is the trend at many institutions, the people on the committee are against it, but ----it is what it is. Apparently, there will be more hands on anatomy for those interested in surgery, but not for others. Since when did med school get this specialized? I'd like most docs to know what's where in the body. As someone who has done a lot of dissection in the lab (and used computer models) I'm hoping they've come a long way. I sure wouldn't want someone taking the plane controls during my flight that had only trained on flight simulators previously. What do you guys think? Are those of you now in med school seeing this at your schools? No more formaldehyde hands? Say it isn't so!

I can understand both sides to an extent. I would hope that they won't ONLY see computer modeling. Perhaps the bulk of gross anatomy will be via modeling but they will still see actual cadavers from time to time?? It seems to me that gross anatomy was the first test of the "ick" factor of medicine ... can they truly stomach it, can they really cut into a human being, can they maintain a degree of composure?? Plus - as ladybug mentioned, things aren't always where the book says they should be ... how will they "model" that??

[Phoebe]

I can see the good and bad sides of the computer modeling. I do not think they should do away with the cadavers. I, for one, would have a hard time comprehending the computer modeling because my spatial imaging is not a strong suit. Not that I enjoy cadavers after having a gross anatomy class in college, but seeing the real thing made it much easier for me piece together.

The research part of the CWRU and partnership with CCF has been in the works for a few years now, right? Are other schools making research mandatory?

Jennifer

[SueC]

Wow, I can't believe they would do away with cadaver lab! I took it in OT school and after actually getting in there and dissecting, I had a much better concept of the whole "layout" of everything in there. I imagine some would be able to grasp it just by computer images, but overall that seems like a big mistake.
So what's the deal, is there a shortage of bodies?

I agree with a previous point -- not all bodies look alike and seeing the effect of age, body fat or lack of it, is important. DH's cadaver was very low on body fat and that made some of the dissecting difficult but I think that he learned from that too.

I would hope that at the least they would have cadaver's available for viewing as they do for undergrad anatomy classes (with things identified). But still....does that mean someone has to know they are doing surgery from day 1? That doesn't seem right either.

[DCJenn]

Wow! Future physicians won't be able to gross out their dates by describing what the cadaver had for dinner....

(lima beans in Rick's case)

Jenn

Thanks, Jenn.

I'm surprised too. I think that schools are probably headed in the direction of computer modeling instead of cadavers, but is technology really at that point right now that a computer model is better than the real thing? I would think in 10 or 20 years or so, but now?